The House
Directed by Andrew Jay Cohen
Written by Brendan O'Brien, Andrew Jay Cohen
Starring Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Ryan Simpkins
Release Date June 30th, 2017
The movie "The House," starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler, is a comedy about a married couple who start an illegal casino in their suburban home to pay for their daughter's college tuition. Unfortunately, the film fails to deliver on its comedic potential, resulting in a disappointing and unfunny experience.
The movie's premise revolves around Scott and Kate, played by Ferrell and Poehler, who find themselves in a financial bind when their daughter's college scholarship falls through. Desperate to find a solution, they turn to their friend Frank, who suggests they open an illegal casino in his house. The idea is simple: capitalize on the boredom of their suburban neighbors and their willingness to gamble.
However, "The House" suffers from a lack of originality and comedic execution. The humor relies heavily on clichés and excessive improvisation, which often falls flat. The characters lack depth and feel more like caricatures than real people. The film's reliance on improv, without a strong directorial hand to guide the narrative and performances, results in a series of disjointed and unfunny gags.
One particularly cringeworthy scene involves Ferrell's character accidentally cutting off a man's finger during a cheating dispute. The scene is chaotic and drawn out, with the intended humor completely lost in the poorly executed slapstick. This scene exemplifies the film's overall comedic failure, where jokes are rushed and poorly executed, leaving the audience with a sense of discomfort rather than amusement.
The weak script and lack of direction also highlight a recurring issue in Will Ferrell's filmography. While Ferrell is a talented comedic actor, his movies often suffer from a lack of discipline and focus. Films like "Blades of Glory," "Talladega Nights," "Step Brothers," and "Semi-Pro" all had comedic potential but ultimately disappointed due to an overreliance on improvisation and a lack of narrative cohesion.
In "The House," jokes are thrown at the audience without proper setup or payoff. Character traits are introduced randomly and then overplayed, resulting in tedious and unfunny gags. For example, Ferrell's character's fear of numbers is played for laughs but quickly becomes tiresome due to its lack of context and development.
The film's overall tone is grating and uninspired. Even the opening credits, featuring the cliché song choice of "My House" by Flo Rida, feel forced and unfunny. The attempt to draw a parallel between the movie's title and the song's lyrics is painfully obvious and lacks any comedic value.
In conclusion, "The House" is a disappointing comedy that fails to deliver on its potential. The film's reliance on clichés, excessive improvisation, and weak script results in a series of unfunny and forgettable gags. The characters lack depth and the overall tone is grating and uninspired. "The House" serves as a reminder that even talented comedic actors like Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler need a strong script and directorial vision to create a truly funny and memorable film.
